


you're all the things i've got to remember

by heleus



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Bisexual Peter Quill, Bisexual Tony Stark, Established Relationship, Heavy Angst, M/M, Protective Peter Quill, Rare Pairings, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-05-18 19:55:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19341517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heleus/pseuds/heleus
Summary: Strange gave up the Time Stone. They have been defeated by Thanos. Their future now rests upon a path of uncertainty and the unknown. If there's one thing that Tony is certain of these days, though, it's that he'll be okay as long as Quill stays with him.Tony Stark is, after Titan, very truly not okay.





	you're all the things i've got to remember

**Author's Note:**

  * For [calrissianns](https://archiveofourown.org/users/calrissianns/gifts).



> alternate universe where tony/quill is an established thing before they get to titan. quill still acted out for gamora because she was his family. angst upon angst upon angst.
> 
> i stan pretty much every tony-centric rare pair that exists LMFAO

There is the quietest gleam of a tear in Strange’s eye when he offers Thanos the Time Stone, it’s aura demanding of attention as he passes it over.

Tony’s wound pulses in time with his heartbeat but— but; Strange surely has a reason to keep him alive, does he not? Surely his life was not worth the power of an Infinity Stone, especially not when the trade-off included the monstrous Titan that had invaded their lives.

For a moment, his heart rate slows and stutters dangerously within his chest, his breath fogging in front of his eyes despite the temperature on Titan; for a moment, his heart seizes within his chest and his lungs give out as he exhales.

For a very fleeting moment, Tony thinks of Quill.

But, nonetheless, he lives, no thanks to his own efforts. He lives, his heart giving a thunderous and ferocious thud within his chest when he shudders, then says: “Why would you do that?”

Strange says nothing but regards him with a sadness that bleeds into the fibers of Tony’s soul.

Quill appears in Tony’s line of vision and Tony manages the very smallest of smiles, tears pooling at the fronts of his eyes and for a fraction of a second, he manages to forget about the wound in his abdomen.

Quill's image is cathartic for Tony, and briefly, his mind allows him to release his thoughts on Thanos and focuses on Peter.

But Quill says: “We lost, didn’t we?”

Tony grimaces as he shifts, attempts to stand. “We did,” he says quietly, flinching as though he’d been burned by saying the words aloud. “We… we lost.”

“But,” Quill exhales, taking a few steps forward; Tony sees the reflection of the stars in the tears that line Peter’s eyelids. “You’re still here.”

Tony reaches for Peter’s hand, reaches and holds and squeezes as tightly as he can. He smiles, then, really smiles, and his voice is a whisper when he says: “So are you.”

Quill pulls Tony into a hug, wrapping his arms firmly and tightly around the genius’s back. Tony snakes his arms underneath Quill’s and squeezes Peter against him, burying his face into the Guardian’s neck.

“We didn’t lose, Star-Lord,” Stark murmurs quietly, his voice muffled by the skin of Quill’s neck. “We didn’t lose because you’re still here with me.”

Quill presses a kiss into Tony’s hair and tilts Tony’s head upwards, resting his forehead upon Tony’s. He smiles softly, his eyes wet with unshed tears and says: “You called me Star-Lord.”

Tony hums, smirking softly as tears pool at the very tips of his lashes, accumulating like snow before he blinks them away. “Don’t make me regret it, Space King.”

Quill pulls away, then, punching Tony’s shoulder softly as he scowls with mock annoyance. “Asshole,” he says, though he’s smiling.

“Hey, hey, you’re ganging up on a cripple,” Tony smirks, gesturing to the wound in his abdomen. “I call foul play.”

“And you’re a thief,” Peter counters, gripping Tony’s hand firmly and squeezing it. “You stole my heart.”

Tony pretends to swoon as he says: “You came up with that one all on your own, didn’t you, Smooth Lord?”

Peter moves to make a comeback but the smile drops from his face entirely when he looks in Strange’s direction.

Tony has no way to describe what’s happening to Strange other than the idea that he’s literally _disintegrating_ as he softly says: “It was the only way.”

Quill is pale as a ghost as he stares at the spot that Strange had been sitting only moments previously. “He just…”

Tony’s breath catches in his throat when he whispers: “Thanos.”

Drax and the girl — Mantis — disintegrate, too, and Quill squeezes Tony’s hand for silent reassurance. Tony blinks, worry clawing its way up his throat and he says: “Kid? Peter?”

No answer.

Tony feels as if he may throw up, the burning shame of failure cramming into his chest.

Tony’s grip on Peter’s hand tightens as he turns to face the Guardian completely. “Don’t go,” he whispers, “Promise me.”

Quill forces a nod in Tony’s direction but says nothing verbally and Tony’s certain his heart has fallen into the very soles of his feet.

Peter’s expression shifts from horrified, to solemn, to resigned before he finally says, softly: “Tony…”

“Don’t,” Stark says, pulling Quill into another hug like he could stop the disintegration by sheer will alone. “Don’t you fucking do this, Star-Lord.”

Quill cups Tony’s cheek, brushing the tears away with his thumb as he sighs: “I’m so sorry, Tony.” He presses a kiss against Tony’s lips.

Tony grasps at the fabrics of Quill’s jacket as the Guardian stumbles. “No, Quill, you don’t get to do this to me,” he spits, a guttural sob building up within his chest, “Don’t go.”

“It’s okay, Tony,” Quill says, and Tony has to lay him down on Titan’s rough terrain, “It’ll be okay.”

Tony tries to catch the dust with his hands but it slips through his fingers, caught upon a wind that he hadn’t noticed. Quill’s grip on his arm weakens and Tony begs, tears burning in his eyes.

“I called you Star-Lord,” he says, his voice trembling in rhythm with his shoulders, “Don’t go, Peter. Please.”

Quill’s eyes are watery as he regards Tony with a final smile. “I love you, my Tony Stark,” he says, and then he’s gone.

Tony clutches the earth with shaking fingers and sobs as he says: "We lost, Quill. _I_ lost."


End file.
